Goodbye
by Fourth Season
Summary: Conflicted, unsure, afraid. The lone warrior walks down the path of sadness. She must say goodbye. A oneshot Saberclan Challenge! It's way better than the summary- I think-. Rated K-plus to be safe.


The night air was crisp, leaf-fall bringing on a cooler atmosphere. It was dark, and the trees further shaded the pine-straw covered ground below, causing the forest floor to be black and shadowy. The chittering of the forest animals were the only sounds to be heard, and Silverpelt glittered in the sky, it's presence like a hovering spirit.

A lone, brown, spotted warrior silently traversed the hazy terrain. Her deep green eyes reflected the crescent moon's light, and seeing in the dark was no problem for her, being ShadowClan.

She braced herself for what was to come, her eyes brimming with tears. She didn't want to do this, but she believed that she must. She couldn't go on like this anymore! Every day was torture! The meetings, the fighting, the secrets, the lying, the training! She had had enough of it! She wouldn't live like this any longer. She was going to end it all! Tonight.

The solitary warrior sped up, forgetting about stealth, just wanting to reach the lake. Soon, she was sprinting towards her destination, the world flying by her in blurs of browns, bronzes, and blacks. She burst forth from the cover of the trees, skidding to a stop at the water's edge.

The stars dotted both the sky and the lake, creating a beautiful canvas of light. Purple streaks sped across the sky, lighting it up and signaling that duskmhad fallen. Reeds swayed by the water's edge, and the grasses whistled a graceful melody. Everything was peaceful, as if nothing bad could ever happen on this night.

The warrior stared down at the water that was as smooth as glass, reflecting her doubtful face back at her. She stared into her dark green eyes, searching their depths for any hope of forgetting her plan, but she found no avail.

Sighing, the warrior dipped her her head into the water, before completely submerging herself, sending ripples across the, once still, lake. The warrior stayed submerged, kicking her powerful legs and propelling herself diagonally downward.

The water was dark and murky, but she could see through it. She swam down as deep as she could, before pausing and looking around. Seeing the familiar seaweed land mark, the warrior swam towards it. She paddled into the seaweed, twisting and winding through it. Her air supply was almost out, and her lungs were screaming for air.

Finally, she arrived on the other side of the seaweed patch, and kicked off the lake-bottom, sending up clouds of dirt that floated in the water.

Bursting from the water and sending droplets flying, the warrior gasped for breath. She quickly righted herself with her tail and made her way to shore, paddling with her feet. She dragged herself onto land, crawling into the tall reeds. She collapsed, laying there for a while, eyes closed, chest heaving, until a familiar voice called out to her.

"Ivyfrost? Is that you," A dark gray, almost black, tabby tom with a scar over his left eye called. When he spotted Ivyfrost, his blue eyes became worried. He bounded to her, jumping over the reeds, and landed at her side. He immediately began licking her fur, trying to dry off Ivyfrost's shivering form. "What're you doing here," He asked when her pelt was dry, and she sat up.

"I came to tell you something, Scarstream," Ivyfrost whispered, not making eye contact with him.

"What is it, Ivyfrost?" Scarstorm asked, placing a paw on hers.

Ivyfrost pulled her paw away, backing up and turning her back to him. Sobs started racking her body, no matter how hard she tried to force them down.

Scarstream hurried to Ivyfrost's side, pressing up against her and trying to comfort her, but he only made it worse.

She pulled away from him, still crying, not wanting to make this any harder.

"Ivyfrost," Scarstream soothed, "What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

She looked to the sky, silently praying to Starclan for help and guidance, but none came. She then turned her head to look him in the eyes and steeled herself.

"Scarstream," She choked, "I can't do this."

"What do you mean?" He asked, fearful for what she could mean.

The tears threatened to come back, but Ivyfrost forced them down. She had to do this. It was for the best. "I can't be with you anymore," She said, "Meeting with you secretly, the swimming training, lying to my clan-mates, keeping us a secret. I just can't do it anymore."

His ears drooped, and tears came to his eyes, "But Ivyfrost, I love you," He mewed, desperation and sadness in his voice, "I don't want you to leave!" He rushed forward, burying his muzzle in her shoulder.

She wrapped her tail around him, and nuzzled his head, crying as well.

"I love you too," She whispered, "But we can't keep doing this. It's against the Warrior Code, and we can't keep lying to our clans. I'm sorry, Scarstream, but this is goodbye." She sobbed, and he weeped with her.

"Just one more night together, Ivyfrost. Please," Scarstream pleaded, his blue eyes wide and tearful.

"Okay," Ivyfrost relented, mainly because she didn't want to leave either.

Scarstream's eyes lit up, and he nuzzled her affectionately, purring his deep, rumbling purr. Ivyfrost purred as well, the somber mood lightened by his now cheerful face, and the two scampered off to find some nest materials, glad to be together.

They pounced and played and hunted and fished, joking and laughing the whole time. But even though the night was seemingly happy, the fact that this was their last time together hung over them like a ghost, creeping into their thoughts like poison. They shook it off time and time again, just trying to enjoy themselves.

After a few hours, the couple laid down to rest in their nest made of reeds and moss, laying beside one another.

"Goodnight," Scarstream purred, licking Ivyfrost's head and twining his tail with hers.

"Goodnight," She replied, and curled up beside him.

* * *

When the morning came, Ivyfrost woke first, and departed before Scarstream could rise as well. She didn't think that she'd be able to leave him if she had to look him in the eyes and see the great sadness within. She swam back to the Shadowclan side of the lake, and returned home.

When Scarstream awoke to find Ivyfrost gone, tears streamed down his face, but he wiped them away and proceeded home, knowing that this was what Ivyfrost wanted, and he would do anything to make her happy.

* * *

TIME SKIP: EIGHT MOONS LATER

* * *

"Darkkit! Keep still," Ivyfrost demanded, grabbing the dark gray spotted tom by his scruff and grooming his fur, his green eyes narrowing in annoyance, before turning to her other kit, "Streamkit! Don't play in the puddle! You'll get yourself dirty again!"

"Aww, but Ivyfrost! I wanna swim in it!" The brown tabby she-cat whined, her blue eyes focused on the puddle, but she came to sit by her mother anyway.

"May all cats gather beneath the high-branch for a clan meeting!" Shadestar yowled, her black pelt glittering in the sunhigh light and her yellow eyes gleaming.

Shadowclan gathered below, and Ivyfrost nudged Darkkit and Streamkit forward. The two kits trembled in nervous excitement as Shadestar announced, "Today, two more apprentices will be made. Darkkit," She addressed, "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. from this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Birchstripe. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you."

The muscled brown tom walked forward and touched noses with the newly named Darkpaw, and Shadesar continued, "Streamkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. from this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Streampaw. Your mentor will be Hollywind. I hope she will pass down all she knows to you."

The scruffy black she cat padded over and touched noses with her new apprentice, and the clan cheered, "Darkpaw! Streampaw! Darkpaw! Streampaw!"

* * *

**The End! I hope yall liked this one-shot for Saberclan! And check out Snowsong of Snowclan's page!**


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